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Shedding Season is Here!

byVetDepotonApril 6, 2012

It’s that time of year again when we start to say goodbye to chilly days of winter and hello to spring. The day length is increasing, the sun is shining and the snow is melting. For many pet owners, these wonderful signs of spring are accompanied by one dreaded downside- shedding season!

While many dogs and cats shed all year round, they lose an especially large amount of hair during the spring. The same is true of horses. While you may neglect your grooming duties a bit during other parts of the year, it’s extremely important to be vigilant with a grooming routine during the spring months.

Dogs with short, tight coats like Greyhounds and Dalmatians do best with a grooming mitt or hound glove. Dogs like Labrador Retrievers and German Shepherds tend to enjoy the use of a shedding blade. If you have a long-haired dog or cat, you might have to invest a little extra time in grooming. As the old hair comes out, it sometimes forms small mats. These need to be trimmed or cut off. A long comb is often a good tool for these type of coats. Short haired cats are often quite comfortable with a slicker brush. The metal tings feel like their rough tongues! A FURminator is also a great tool for keeping shedding to a minimum for both short and long haired dogs and cats.

Many horses do quite nicely with a rubber curry comb and a shedding blade followed by a hard brush.

Put the hair outside for the local birds to use in nest building. They appreciate the shed undercoat even if you don’t. You can also save dog hair to put around the edge of your garden. The smell helps to repel rodents, rabbits and deer.

If the amount of hair is overwhelming, you might want to consider a shed control pet supplement. These coat supplements help to limit the amount of hair flying around your house. However, don’t expect absolutely no shedding, that result isn’t likely and it wouldn’t be natural for your pet.

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